How hard is it to become a commissioning engineer? What does a commissioning engineer career path look like, plus recommendations to maximize your chances of joining your dream project.

Introduction

Pursuing a career as a commissioning engineer is an excellent choice.  Engineers love to solve complex problems and there is no better environment to do that than during the fast-paced and dynamic commissioning environment.  Commissioning engineers are consistently ranked as one of the most sought after engineering disciplines.  If technology is taking over many of our jobs, commissioning engineers will be one of the last roles replaced by machines due to the dynamic thought process required to solve complex problems.  As well, commissioning engineer’s salaries are well above average considering base pay plus overtime.

When searching online for a guide on how to become a commissioning engineer, you will find many job boards.  While you may be able to read about commissioning engineer positions that are available, this won’t necessarily help you determine the steps to take in your career in order to achieve this role.

Commissioning is the best part of the project that everyone wants to be part of. In this article, we discuss the important aspects to consider when aspiring to become a commissioning engineer.

Duties

What does a commissioning engineer do on a day-to-day basis?  Engineers enjoy commissioning because no two days are the same, there are always exciting new challenges to solve each day.  These are some of the tasks that commissioning engineers are responsible for:

• Review technical drawings to understand the function of each system
• Prepare test plans, procedures, and checklists of how systems will be tested
• Work with construction groups to ensure quality requirements are being met
• Travel to remote work sites to witness testing of equipment
• Perform equipment tests and system tests in the field to confirm correct operation
• Review test results and prepare test reports to confirm compliance with technical specifications
• Work with engineering and operating groups to review operation and maintenance of equipment
• Work with other engineering disciplines to troubleshoot issues in the field
• Perform root cause analysis to investigate issues

Work Conditions

Commissioning engineers are required to “get their hands dirty”.  What this means is this is not an office job – commissioning engineers are out in the field talking to others on the project, performing tests or witnessing tests by others, and investigating issues in the field.  This is one of the great things about being a commissioning engineer is you are not stuck at a desk all day – you are actively involved in reviewing issues in the field and determining solutions.  While working on a project, a commissioning engineer will typically work out of temporary office locations right on-site such as a portable construction trailer or temporary office area of the new facility.  The job-site can be somewhat noisy due to heavy construction equipment, but this can be minimized with suitable locations for temporary office complexes.

While performing commissioning duties, safety hazards can be present due to active mechanical systems or invisible electrical hazards, and safety precautions must be taken.  Commissioning engineers are casually dressed while on site and require full PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) such as safety boots, hard hat, safety glasses, gloves, and safety vest.

Education

Becoming a commissioning engineer requires a formal engineering degree in one of the engineering disciplines.  The most common engineering disciplines to become commissioning engineers are electrical and mechanical.  Structural and civil engineers typically do not become commissioning engineers, but that is not to say it is impossible.  Mechanical and electrical degrees are the most applicable to the systems that require commissioning.

Between the two disciplines, electrical has been evolving at a quicker pace than mechanical, since more and more automation is being added to industrial plants.  Having an electrical background is beneficial when working with these complex electrical systems.  Regardless, having an understanding of both mechanical and electrical engineering is essential, since you need to understand all aspects of the system to be an effective commissioning engineer.  Even if you specialize in one engineering discipline, you should be aware of all other disciplines and how they work in order to best integrate all subsystems during commissioning.

Process engineering is also a good discipline to specialize in.  Process engineers are required as the subject matter experts on the particular plant process being implemented.  If you are studying mechanical or electrical engineering in school, these disciplines can also become the process experts, depending on the plant process to be implemented.  For example, an electrical engineer can become an HVDC transmission subject matter expert, or a mechanical engineer can become a wastewater treatment system subject matter expert.

Electrical engineers that specialize in computer and automation systems are highly in demand on commissioning projects, since control and protection systems continue to be implemented more and more on projects these days.  Cyber security is becoming more critical on projects as external threats become more prevalent.

Non-Engineers

I will also add that not only engineers are required on the commissioning team.  If you do not have an engineering degree, there are many other paths that can lead you to commissioning.  Technical trades are highly in demand on the commissioning team, such as control and protection technicians, telecontrol technicians, mechanical technicians, and more.  As plant systems continue to become more complex, experts in each of these specialized technical trades are required to implement these systems.  If following a technical trade path to commissioning, the next sections of this article directly apply to you as well.

Training

Once you have completed your formal education, the learning does not stop.  One of the great things about commissioning is that you are always taking on new challenges that allow you to continue to learn.  There are two ways that you will be required to continue learning: off-site training and on-site hands on learning through experience.  Both need to compliment each other.

To accelerate your commissioning career, you need to understand the commissioning process early in your career.  Having the fundamental understanding of the phases of the project, the stages of commissioning, and what is required during each step of the process, will allow you to execute more efficiently during your on-site commissioning activities.  Having a fundamental understanding of the commissioning process will allow you to secure your first commissioning role.  You could choose to learn the commissioning process on-site during your first project, but getting your first role may be more challenging with a limited understanding of the commissioning process, and it will then take you a few years through the project experience to learn the full commissioning process.  Instead, you can accelerate the learning curve and position yourself for your first commissioning role by learning the commissioning process earlier in your career.  Check out the training that we offer to learn the commissioning process and position yourself for the best chance of success in your commissioning career.

Learning through on-site hands on experience is important and critical to your continued learning.  Having a fundamental understanding of the commissioning process from your advanced training, will allow you to perfect your knowledge of the commissioning process through implementation of the things you learned prior to arriving on-site.  There is no better way to fully understand the details of what you have learned than by hands on implementation in the field.

Certification

While professions such as engineering, doctors, dentists, and lawyers are regulated professions, the commissioning role is not a regulated profession.  Anyone can be part of the commissioning team – your formal training in engineering or your technical trade regulates your technical and ethical responsibility.  The best path to certification is right here at www.commissioningandstartup.com.  By enrolling in our training, you become eligible to obtain your CCP – Certified Commissioning Professional.  When it comes to commissioning of an over-all plant process, building commissioning is a smaller aspect of the commissioning process.  The building systems are referred to as the balance-of-plant subsystems, and while required and important, are one small part of the overall commissioning effort.

Since process commissioning is more specialized, your best source for training is with an accredited learning provider, which you have found right here!  Selecting an accredited commissioning training program such as the training we offer ensures that you are receiving training from an organization that meets the highest standards for online training.  And since commissioning is a more specialized engineering discipline, the best location to find training is online.  See our online accredited commissioning training programs that we offer.

Experience

It is desirable, but not completely necessary, to have at least a couple years of technical experience prior to joining the commissioning team.  This can include a few years of engineering design experience or on-site construction experience working with the technical systems and understanding how they work.  This will allow you to become comfortable the types of drawings that are used on a project and the terminology that is used in the field.  This experience will help you to understand the following:

• Explore the various systems on a project to determine which you prefer to work with
• Understand the roles and responsibilities on a project and see how the various groups communicate
• Become familiar with the safety requirements on-site
• Become familiar with contract documents and how they are used
• See the complete project lifecycle to better understand the stages of the project
• See the on-site operating environment to better understand how the systems will be operated and maintained and understand the perspective of the operating team
• Participate in lessons learned discussions to prepare how to address similar challenges on your next project even better

Having a few years of experience gives you a solid understanding of the site environment and how the project functions to then continue your earning as you transition to commissioning.  With this experience, building on the commissioning training you have taken, you become very marketable to any commissioning team.

Tips for High School Students

If you are completing high school and considering your options after graduation, consider if you want to pursue an engineering degree or pursue a technical trade.  Both provide good options to work towards joining the commissioning team.

When considering engineering, you will want to consider the discipline that interests you the most.  I am an electrical engineer, so I may be a bit biased towards that discipline.  I find electrical engineering most fascinating since it is on the cutting edge of new advancements in technology.  However, mechanical engineering provides great opportunities on the commissioning team as well.  Computer engineering is another highly sought after engineering discipline as well.

When considering a technical trade, consider the technical systems that interest you the most – use a large rotating machine as an example.  If you were working with this large rotating machine, would you be more interested to evaluate the mechanical properties of the large mechanical components such as the rotor and stator – or would you be more interested to perform the electrical tests on the windings or the logic in the control systems?  Hopefully envisioning these 2 examples give you a picture in your mind of which you prefer.

Tips for Engineering New Grads

Once you have completed your formal education, taking an additional course can really set you apart from other new grads.  With limited experience, the knowledge you have and an understanding of the commissioning process can distinguish you from other individuals and help you secure the role you are looking for.  By taking an online training course, you demonstrate to potential employers that you have the initiative to learn new things and position yourself for success.  See the online commissioning training programs that we offer.

A good idea is to find a role that gives you a couple years of on-site experience, such as a project engineer, a design engineer, or a field inspection engineer as part of the construction team.  This will give you a solid technical background and understanding of site processes to position you well for future commissioning roles.

Tips for Non-Engineers

Not all commissioning roles are filled by engineers.  In fact, several roles on the commissioning team are not engineers at all.  Pursuing a technical trade is a great way to become involved in commissioning.  After graduation, you can set yourself apart from other new grads by taking an online course to learn the skills you need in the field.  Knowledge of the commissioning process can set you apart in a distinct way that shows employers you are eager to learn and ready for new challenges.  See the online commissioning training programs that we offer.

Similar to engineering, a few years of technical on-site experience positions you very well to join the commissioning team.

Tips for Engineers with a Few Years of Experience

After a few years of technical experienced, you are well positioned to join the commissioning team.  Your understanding of site processes and the technical experience of the systems you have worked with are beneficial to the commissioning team.  What you now need is to learn the commissioning process.  With your technical experience and an understanding of the commissioning process, you are in the best position to take on commissioning challenges.  Having the technical background and understanding of commissioning will allow you to excel in any interview and secure the commissioning role of your dreams.

While this might sound like a long career path to get to this point, this is the best position to be in as you are highly marketable to the commissioning team.  With a few years of experience and an understanding of the commissioning process, you are able to join the site commissioning team, be paired with a senior commissioning engineer, and continue learning about commissioning.  You will be well on your way to becoming the trusted commissioning authority on the project.

Tips for Expereinced Engineers

If you have been working in the engineering field for several years and are looking for a change, commissioning can be the new challenge you are looking for.  Ideally you will have obtained a couple years of site experience in your past engineering roles.  If not, your technical experience is valuable to the commissioning team.  An understanding of the commissioning process will be required in order for you to apply your technical knowledge.

Conclusion

A career in commissioning offers many exciting challenges, allows you to travel to exotic locations, and provides a fast-paced dynamic environment that many people are looking for so that no two days are the same.  A career in commissioning has been very rewarding for me, and I encourage you to do the same.  The commissioning industry is in short supply of commissioning engineers, and this will continue into the future as there is more demand for smart commissioning engineers to solve the world’s technical challenges.  Follow the steps above to pursue a rewarding career in commissioning and startup.  See you on site!